Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 4 cups

Epicurious | September 1996

Marion CunninghamThe Fannie Farmer Cookbook

Ingredients

6 medium all-purpose potatoes

1/2-3/4 cup hot milk

4 tablespoons butter

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Preparation

Peel the potatoes and cut them into quarters. Put them in a pan and just cover them with cold water. Bring them to a boil and boil gently for 15-20 minutes or until tender when pierced with a fork. Drain very well and return to very low heat. Add 1/2 cup hot milk and the butter and start mashing with a potato masher or a fork (or put them through a potato ricer), smoothing out all the lumps. When you have worked the potatoes free of the lumps, transfer to a warm bowl and whip with a fork or whisk until light and fluffy, adding the remaining milk, if necessary, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, or keep hot, uncovered, in a double boiler.

Potato Cakes.

Using leftover mashed potatoes, shape into small flat cakes. Dip lightly in flour, shake off any excess, and brown each side in hot bacon fat or butter over medium heat.

SELECT LATEST REVIEWS

Potatoes are
gluten-free.
Overmashing them
will make them heavy
and glue-like, but
there is no gluten
(from grains wheat,
rye and barley)
involved. White or
red potatoes work
best in this recipe.
Stick to Russets for
baking.

JennyLynn from Cary, NC / 03.29.10

Print with Recipe

Personally I like to use white pepper to avoid speckled potatoes. Also, note that there is no gluten in potatoes; it is a protein found in things like wheat and barley. Using a food processor simply frees up the starch from the potato, allowing water into it and creating a stickier product. In culinary school we called such potatoes "whipped" instead of "mashed" which are lumpy like this wonderfully simple recipe.

skinnychef1 from St. Paul, MN / 03.10.07

Print with Recipe

Great basic recipe, especially for beginners like me. Adding a bit of roasted garlic also adds some punch.

A Cook from Toronto, Ontario Canada / 11.20.03

Print with Recipe

A bit bland. Guess I'm used to my Southern style (and very butter) mashed potatoes. These needed the gravy.

A Cook from San Diego, CA / 03.04.01

Print with Recipe

Great basic recipe. Best part is they held up in a double boiler longer than I intended. They did stiffen a bit, but just add a little more warm milk, whip 'em again, adjust seasoning and they're ready when you are.